The present invention relates to fixtures for cutting hinge mortises and, in particular, to an adjustable device that can be clamped onto a door or jamb.
Mounting a door on a jamb with hinges is a highly skilled carpentry task. Accurate positioning of the hinges is necessary to insure the door will swing freely and close accurately. Conventional hinges are recessed into mortises that must be carefully and accurately cut into the inside edge of a door and at matching positions on the door jamb.
Known templates can be nailed to the door or the jamb, to be used as a guide for either a chisel or router. A disadvantage with such templates is their lack of range of adjustability and the marring of the door or jamb with nail holes. Furthermore, known templates are either dedicated to cutting a mortise on either the door or the jamb.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,158,186 and 4,815,215 show router guides for cutting a mortise. However, these known device do not have the flexibility to allow cutting of mortises in a simple and accurate manner. Other examples of devices used for such work can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 464,867; 1,005,336; 1,326,583; 1,388,223; 2,651,847; 2,733,518; 2,804,106; 3,407,853; and 3,509,923.
Accordingly, there is a need for a simple, inexpensive, adaptable, and accurate device for facilitating cutting a mortise for a hinge or lock strike plate in a workpiece such as a door or jamb.